Alice Darlene Shaw (Blair)

Tuesday

Jan 29, 2013 at 2:00 AM

Alice Darlene Shaw (Blair) passed away Saturday, January 12, 2013. Her funeral will be held at 12:00 p.m., Thursday, January 31, 2013, at Trail Christian Fellowship.

Our Mother was born in Benkelman, Neb., May 22, 1926, to Boyd Blair Sr. and Lacy (Smith) Blair as one of nine children, six sisters and three brothers. The Blairs and their youngest three daughters traveled to Newport, Ore., in the Dust Bowl migration of the 1930s. Mother met our father, Gaylen H. Shaw, a World War II sailor, while waitressing in her family's restaurant in Newport. Our parents married April 8, 1950, in Reno, Nev., and eventually settled in the Rogue Valley, living in Eagle Point for over 45 years. Our mother and father were married for 60 years at the time of his death in October 2010.

Mother worked for Beck's Morning Fresh Bakery, later moving to the cutstock mills in White City for over two decades. Mother retired long enough to know it was not for her, and at 68 years old she found work with Warehouse Demo food demonstrators at Costco Warehouse. At Costco, our Mother had finally found her niche in work where she could feed people all day. She delighted in the customers and coworkers alike for the past 18 years. She was employed there at the time of her death. Our Mother loved people and was never happier than when she had her entire family fill her home, sharing a meal. She had many wonderful friends throughout the Rogue Valley from Selma to Prospect. In her spare time throughout her life she had many adventures. She became an Avon Lady, and later a Candle Party salesperson, travelling to conventions and winning many awards. She took classes and learned to make and decorate wedding cakes which gave her enormous joy in giving to others, and celebrating the happy events in their lives. Her hobbies were sewing, crafts, camping, gardening, and yard sales. She also traveled from Alaska to San Antonio, Texas and to the farms of her childhood in Nebraska and Kansas many times, but traveling always included visits to the huge Shaw and Blair families she loved and enjoyed so much.

Mother will be profoundly missed. Her excitement, energy, and her infectious joy were a part of everyday life for those of us fortunate enough to be included. Her legacy is her remarkable work ethic and her love of everything family. Her example showed us that life should be both busy and fun.